Family Ties That Bind
by brattax23
Summary: AU: Scott and Remy Essex meet Jean and Marie sisters at the Xavier Institute. All they want to do is get away from the people who continue to haunt them. UPDATED-CH10--fragmented ch., bits of everyone. set up for Remy's announcement : Review please!
1. Interactions

Title: Family Ties That Bind  
  
Author: Monica  
  
Synopsis:  
  
Remy and Scott, sons of Nathanial Essex, are sent to the Xavier Institute to learn to hone their powers. They meet sister's Marie and Jean, who are running from dear old dad. Not sure exactly what happens. Not sure if there's going to be romance, or just good ole action. Tell me what you want. I aim to please.  
  
Disclaimers: All recognizable characters belong to Marval. I'm not making a dime.  
  
Special note: This was inspired from one of kethry or eoen's stories. I think it is called Essex Boys. Find it at yathink.tvheaven.com  
  
Jean watched as Scott pulled the nightshirt off of Kitty and picked her up in his arms. He murmured something comforting as he wiped the tears from her eyes. The four-year old wrapped her skinny arms around his neck and stuck her thumb in her mouth. Scott tossed the grape juice stained shirt to Remy and started up the stairs to Kitty's room. Nobody else in the room seemed to care that Scott was taking Kitty instead of one of the dining monitors.  
Remy was wiping the mess from the table. Jean stood up to help as he juggled the shirt and plates.  
"T'anks," Remy said as he breezed past her to the laundry room. Jean wandered over to him and leaned against the washer. "Can I help y'?"  
"What's the deal with Kitty? She's not your sister, right?" She absently tucked a strand of her fiery red behind her ear as she watched Remy throw the little girl's shirt in with a bunch of clothes.  
"Non. So?" His red on black eyes looked up at her curiously.  
"So why is Scott playing babysitter?"  
He shrugged. Remy turned away so she wouldn't see the irritation as it crossed his face.  
"I mean, it seems to me that someone like Scott would have better things to do."  
Remy frowned at her. The girl and her sister had only been at the Institute for a couple of weeks, but it seemed that she was always hanging around. He had a feeling that this one would mess up all of their plans. He smiled and said, "Why don' y' mind y'r own business, Jeannie?" He let the washer lid fall and strode towards the door.  
She watched him leave, a speculative look on her face as he turned the light off on her. Why couldn't people be what you expected them to be?  
  
Scott let Kitty pick a shirt from his drawer to wear for bed since her other nightdress was also in the wash. He sat on the edge of the bed as she made a mess of his dresser.  
"Scottie, don't you have a pretty pink shirt?" Kitty asked, obviously disguntled that she couldn't anything appropriate.  
"Uh, I hope not, sweetie." Remy swept into the room, a scowl on his face. He was muttering under his breath in French.  
"Remy, I need a shirt," Kitty announced in a sing-song voice.  
"A pretty pink one," Scott thought to add.  
"Hmm, petite, let's see what we have here." Kitty had her arms crossed and was watching Remy skeptically. Remy went through his drawers until he found a red dress shirt shot through with silver and gold thread. "How 'bout t'is one?"  
Kitty cocked her head to the side and studied it carefully. "Okay, that's pretty." She stood still as Remy buttoned it all the way up and folded the sleeves up.  
"Ready for bed?" Scott steeled himself against the pout and tears that were surely on the way. Kitty's lower lip quivered as she worked herself up to full blown tantrum. Here we go again, he thought as Remy quietly let himself out of the room. That one could never stand firm in the face of pouting lips, the brat.  
  
Marie was sitting at the vanity, staring at her reflection intently. When Jean walked into the room, Marie had her nose about an inch from the glass.  
"What on earth are you doing?" Jean asked her sister, shaking her head.  
"Do I look like a whore to you?"  
"What? Of course not. Where did you hear something as stupid as that?" asked Jean, bristling with indignation on her sister's behalf. These fucking rich kids, thinking that they're better than everyone else.  
"Well, nobody actually said that, but I heard Jubilee telling Betsy that Remy is only interested in easy girls, but I caught him, you know, looking at me like that, and so then I wondered if I looked like I'd be easy." Amazingly enough, Marie managed to say this all in one breath. She looked up at Jean, worry etched in her face.  
"Oh for the love. Marie, you're an attractive girl. A lot of boys are going to look at you." Jean rolled her eyes even as she thought, Plus, with your power, any boy trying to get to first base will be sorry pretty damn fast. But of course she won't say this to Marie.  
"Oh. Well, do you think he likes me?" Marie couldn't quite keep the hope out of her voice. Fifteen years old and never been kissed. And unless Professor Xavier could help her, prospects didn't look any better.  
Jean stood over her shoulder and gazed at their reflections in the mirror. Her bright red hair hung in waves down her back while Marie's chestnut curls ended just below her shoulders. Their faces differed slightly in shape, with Marie's slightly rounder. But their eyes, both glowing emerald green, made their relation undeniable. Marie's impatient twist in her seat broke Jean from her line of thought.  
"Of course he likes you, but Marie, he barely knows you. And you barely know him." The warning was implied and Marie sighed. She knew she had to be careful, but it had been so long since someone looked at her like that.  
*But you do remember what came from that, don't you.*  
*Yes, Jean.* Marie sighed and stared at the mirror again, her green eyes raging.  
  
Scott stared at the letter in his hand, fear racing across his face. Remy was watching him carefully and closed his eyes when Scott got to the end. The handwriting on the envelope was enough to make him dread the contents.  
"When?" was all Remy asked as Scott slowly folded the paper and replaced it into the envelope. Remy had to sit down, and the kitchen floor was as good a place as any.  
"Two weeks. He only wants you. He's sending Victor down to the school to pick you up." Remy turned a shade paler with this information. Scott felt guilty that he was glad that he wouldn't have to go home. He gave Remy a hand up and dragged him to their room.  
"Why can't he leave us alone? I thought the whole point of sending us to Xavier's was so that he wouldn't have to deal with the trials of training teens," Remy pouted. He buried his head under his pillow, groaning.  
Scott was worried. Their father had never pulled them away from school before. His letter said that he needed Remy for a week. And why only him? The idea made Scott very, very nervous.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------  
  
Remy stretched his arms as he began to wake up and they hit a soft, solid mound under his covers.  
"Wha-?" He lifted the blanket and found Kitty curled in a ball, thumb in mouth, and quite content. He looked across the room and saw Scott laying face down on top of his blankets. Finally, he glanced at the clock and saw that it was three in the morning. He quietly got up and stared down at Kitty, trying to decide whether to try and move her back across the hall. In the end, he just tucked the blankets in around her and silently left the room.  
The mansion was freezing at night. Remy wished he would have pulled on a shirt as he made his way down the stairs. There was a light on in the kitchen and Remy perked up. He didn't feel like being alone.  
"What are y' lookin' for?" He stood against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest. Marie gasped, obviously startled at his presence.  
"I don't know. Nothin' I guess." She peeked at him over her shoulder. He was adorable with his hair sticking up in the back.  
"How 'bout some hot chocolate?" Remy said while he rummaged through the cabinets. He heard Marie getting the milk from the fridge as he pulled out the chocolate and a pan.  
"Why can't you sleep?" Marie asked, putting her head on the counter as Remy stood over the stove. She watched as he carefully tasted the chocolate and grabbed two mugs.  
"Family problems. You?" Remy looked over at the girl. Her face was pale and tired, yet she still was one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen.  
"Nightmare." Remy held out a mug and they drank silently, each contemplating their problems.  
"Who's after you?" Remy asked. He kept his eyes fixed to the center of the table.  
Marie looked up quickly at him. "What do you mean?" She was tapping the mug with her fingernail. It was driving him nuts.  
"Your sister said something like that," Remy said smoothly, lying through his teeth. He finally looked up and met her eyes. A man could get lost in those eyes.  
Marie shook her head. "No she didn't. Jean's smarter than that."  
"What's she trying to get to Scott for?"  
"He's a good looking guy. Why shouldn't she?"  
"She's afraid of him."  
"Jean's not afraid of anything."  
"Well, she should be. Tell her to leave us alone." With that, Remy put his glass in the sink and started back up the stairs. Marie sat in the kitchen for a long time after he left.  
  
Remy crawled back in bed, carefully moving around Kitty, who had decided to stretch out. Wrapping an arm around the girl, he stared at the ceiling. It would surely only last a little longer, right?  
  
"Concentrate!" Professor Xavier hissed to Marie. They had been working on control for the past hour. Her nerves were frazzled, his patience was ebbing and there was no show of any improvement.  
"I am! I just can't do it!" The other students in the room looked at her, disgruntled. Marie glared back at them. When she got to Remy's smirk, she just about lost her temper.  
"Very good, Remy. Your show of control is much improved," Ororo said, with a smile on her face. He had been practicing with discharging an object.  
"Ohh!" She jabbed a finger down on Xavier's palm. And for a few seconds, nothing happened.  
"Much better." There was a kind smile in the steely blue eyes of his. Professor Xavier called a halt to the session and wheeled himself out of the room. Marie smiled brightly. Finally.  
  
"How did your session go?" Jean asked, not tearing her eyes away from the television screen. The news was playing. Hoardes of people were gathered to watch a Friends of Humanity protest and the cops were trying to keep things peaceful. Jean was watching her father at the top of the podium. He was screaming that mutants were an abomination, a mistake of nature.  
"Why do you watch him?" Marie asked, taking the remote and turning the television off. Her fists clanched at her side as she stared at the black screen. She hated the man who screamed that he wished she were dead. Who screamed that he would be the one to kill her.  
"I don't know. At least this way, I know where he is. It's better than expecting the man to jump out from behind a bush. How did your session go?" Jean forced herself to let go off the magazine which she had crumpled. Her hand hurt from squeezing so hard.  
"Actually, it went well," Marie said, a slow smile spreading on her face. "Maybe I can really learn how to touch again." Jean leaned back as Marie jabbered on excitedly about her session. What a strange thing for a teenage girl to get excited over, she mused. Not her first kiss, or her first date, but being able to touch again. Very strange. And very sad.  
"Show me." Jean held out her palm to her sister.  
"I don't know if I can do it again," Marie backed away nervously, falling into the habit of getting out of arm's reach.  
"You did it before, do it again," Jean commanded, waiting for Marie to come to her. As if steeling herself for the task, Marie nodded to herself and placed her palm over her sister's. And nothing happened.  
Jean smiled. Just maybe, it will all be worth it.  
  
A/N: I wanted to get that touching thing out of the way. I have no idea how this is going to turn out. Any suggestions are welcome. Reviews are desired. Tell me what you think. 


	2. Rooftops

Title: Family Ties That Bind

Author: Monica

Disclaimers: All recognizable characters belong to Marval. I'm not making a dime.

A/N: changed my mind-has some romance. This is a work in progress. Because of this, I'm sure there are going to be some errors and some spots where it feels unfinished. Sorry. I'll do my best. Any other characters you want to see? REVIEW and I'll see what I can do. If not, please review anyway. J

            Scott watched Remy pace on top of the rooftop. The boy was sulking again. Not that he could blame him. Sighing, he started towards the building ready to talk him down again. Xavier would flip if he learned Remy was breaking his precious rules. Again. 

            About ten yards from Scott, Ororo was watching Remy pace the rooftop. The one person who seemed to be in detention more than herself; Ororo had pushed friendship at the boy. Remy had clung hard. She was gnawing on the tip of her thumb as she watched him walk closer to the edge. Well, shit.

            Scott turned at the sound of Ororo lofting towards the rooftop. And he smiled. As much as he preached that they should keep to themselves, he liked Ororo and her fierce loyalty to his brother. He liked that Remy could crash in her room at night, that he had someone to whine to. He liked the fact Remy could draw someone like that to him with no more than a smile. He liked that Remy would have someone to hold if something happened and Scott couldn't be around. The gray clouds gathering above his head mirrored his mood suddenly. Scott pulled his jacket closer around himself and walked inside the mansion.

            "What's wrong?" Ororo asked, leaning against Remy's back. She felt the sudden tightening of his shoulders.

            "Scottie's broodin' again. He's goin' t' be bitchy." He closed his eyes as the first drops of rain fell upon his face.

            "Does Xavier know you're a telepath?" She smiled as his mouth twisted into a frown. "You know I am not going to tell anyone. If not, you could just read my mind."

            Remy stuck his tongue out at her. "'Ro, ya know dat you're my best friend. I need t' ask a favor."

            "Anything."

            "Good." He leaned back, silent, letting the rain beat down on his stomach, drowning out the sky, the ground, the world.

            "Why you need to go out on that damn roof…" Scott muttered, tossing Remy a towel. The rain was dripping from his hair, making small puddles on the ground. Scott shook his head as he took in Remy's appearance. His lips were blue and his clothes were plastered to his body. The kid was going to catch his death.

            "T'anks, Scottie!" Remy said cheerfully, whistling on the way to their joint bathroom.

            "Make sure you clean up after yourself!" Damn kid.

            Remy stripped off his clothes and set the water to burning hot. He let the steam fill the room before he bothered to step into the shower. The cold and then the heat. Anything to keep the feeling from overwhelming him. Feel the cold, let it seep into your bones, let your world become the shiver starting at your head and ending at your toes. Then the heat, burning, searing, pain that goes deep, numbs the body and the mind. He hoped Scott was gone when he came back to the room.

            Scott sat on the bed, silent and still. He lost himself in the spot on the wall, in the bulb of the light. He concentrated on staying still, on barely breathing. Calm and together, he locked out the troubling thoughts that begged to intrude in the stillness of his mind. He trampled on the emotions that threatened to boil over. No pain, no anger, no sadness. Just nothing.

            Remy met Scott's eyes across the room, each face chisled stone. Silently, they walked out of the room to head down to dinner.

            Jean was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for the boys. She grabbed Remy by the elbow and dragged him into the living room.

            "What do you think you're doing?" She asked, her voice a furious whisper. Remy stared at the sparks that seemed to shoot from her emerald eyes.

            "What y' mean, Jeannie?" Remy asked, genuinely perplexed. He could see both Scott and Marie looking through the doorway at them.

            "I mean that Marie told me that you two are going out on Friday. She told me that you got special permission to go into town. What the hell do you think you're pulling?"

            Remy smiled at her show of sisterly protection. "It's nothing. I felt bad for givin' her a bad time. It means nothin'."

            "Does she know that?" Remy considered.

            "If y' want, I'll make it crystal clear after dinner." Jean chewed the bottom of her lip. Damn. She didn't want Marie to know that she meddled. Remy smiled lazily back at her. He knew exactly what was going through her head.

            "That's probably not necessary. Just, you know, be nice."

            "Whatever y' say, Jeannie. Y'r wish is my command." Jean felt like smaking him.

            "Remy. I don' like the green ones," Kitty pouted, pushing her peas onto his plate.

            "I don' like t'em either," he said, pushing them back. She crinkled her nose at him, before popping one into her mouth. Then she turned expectantly towards him.

            Remy sighed and took one of her peas and placed it into his mouth. They went back and forth until all of the peas were gone. He was pretty sure that when dessert came out, they wouldn't be sharing her portion.

            Kitty beamed up at him. Remy was her favorite. She liked the way he talked. And the fact that he let her get away with murder.

            Scott rolled his eyes at the exchange. Then he looked at _her_ again. Jean was pushing her food around on her plate. Scott noticed that she did that a lot. In fact, he only remembered her taking two bites. She was awfully thin yet her red hair was vibrant as it skimmed her chin and you really couldn't focus on anything else. And her eyes were absolute killers.

            Then he looked at Marie. She was very carefully scooping up her peas and daintily placing the forkfull into her mouth. Her chestnut curls were pulled back from her face and sparkling eyes lit up her face. She was pretty, but next to Jean…

            "Scottie," Remy said beneathe his breath. "Stop starin' at t'em."

            Scott glared at him to try to hide the blush that crept up his next. "I wasn't staring," he whispered back, his tone scoffing.

            "Sure y' weren't," Remy said. "And y' got it wrong. Jeannie's cute and all, but she don' have anyt'ing on her sister."

            "Stop doing that. Xavier's right there!"

            "Stop being so paranoid. He can' get t'rough my shields. Plus what's life if t'ere's no risk?"

            "It's going to get you killed some day."

            "No, you'll be t'ere t' pull me out of trouble. As usual." Remy grinned at him before picking up Kitty by the waist and "flying" her out of the room. Scott sighed as he gathered up the dirty dishes. The scamp.

            Marie laid out on the lawn, staring up at the clouds. Today was her "date" with Remy. She didn't know why she said yes. She didn't know why she was so scared. 

            "Hey." Remy plopped down beside her.

            "Hey." They sat there in silence for a bit, each caught up in their own little worlds. It was easy not to talk with Remy. You didn't find the need to cover the silence with words. It was nice.

            "Was there something you wanted?" Marie finally asked. He was watching her. It was unnerving.

            "Yes." He frowned. "I realized I…didn' know what y' liked t' eat." Shit. That wasn't what he wanted to say.

            "I see." She didn't really, though.

            "Okay, really. I'm tryin' t' get Scottie out, but he won' listen t' me." Remy paused, wondering if Scott would dismember him later.

            "So…you want me to ask him out?" Marie cocked her head to the side, trying to make sense of Remy's words.

            "Hell no! I mean, y'r sister, t'ough…" He peeked at her reaction.

            Marie laughed. "I thought you wanted them apart." She was waiting for him to admit his scheme to her. She decided she liked having the upper hand.

            Remy grumbled when he saw she wasn't going to give him his way easily. "All right. I need t' stay out a little longer after our dinner. I want Scott too busy t' wonder where I am."

            Marie wasn't smiling any more. "And you were, like, going to drop me off and them go out on your real date?"

            "No. I was going to drop you off and take a plane to Paris."

            "Yeah right." Remy pulled a ticket out from under his jacket and dropped it in her lap.

            "This says Jeremy Caledecott." Her emerald eyes studied him carefully. "Okay, _Jeremy. Double this, and not only will I get your brother out of your hair, but I won't tell him about your plans to disappear."_

            "I hate y', y' know." He didn't really, though. He expected nothing less from her. A weekend in Paris sounded fun, even if it was with the River Rat. He snatched the ticket back and turned to walk away.

            "Oh, and Remy." He turned against his will. "I like Italian."

*much more next time, promise!


	3. Out and About

Title: Family Ties That Bind

Author: Monica

A/N: Part three is designed to confuse you. Hopefully I can figure a way out of the mess I made in the next chapters. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Per requests, I am updating sooner. See, I listen. So please review and tell me what you want to see, who you want to see, and what you don't want to see. Thanks!

Disclaimers: All recognizable characters belong to Marvel. I'm not making a dime.

"Where are you going?" Jean asked as Scott sauntered towards the front door. He had his leather jacket zipped to the top even though it was warm. He looked agitated. They had been working on math homework together when he suddenly leapt up from the table and disappeared.

"I'm going to stop trouble. Meaning my-soon-to-be-dead brother." Scott was checking the halls for professors that would stop him. All he had to do was get away from Jean, and then he'd be on his way. Unfortunately, it looked as if that wasn't going to be so easy.

Jean smiled. "How do you know he's getting into trouble?" Scott was so overprotective sometimes. It was kind of cute, in a way.

"Because he is no longer inside my head." As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Scott realized how telling they were. Well, hell.

"A 'path, huh? And I bet Professor Xavier doesn't know." Jean knew she scored as Scott remained stubbornly silent. That was information for later, though. "Anyway, that doesn't mean he's in trouble. He's out…"

"With your sister." He nodded as the ramifications finally hit her. "I'm telling you, he was planning something that he knew I wouldn't like. Instead of listening to me rant and lecture him and then do exactly what he wanted in the first place, he simply went and did it."

"What, exactly, did he do?" Her voice was cold. If that little bastard hurt her baby sister…

"Well, I don't know and I'm not going to figure it out by standing around here."

"I'm coming with you."

"I don't think so, Red. Stay here just in case I'm wrong and he brings your sister back on time."

"I don't think so."

"Yeah, I don't think he will either. At least bring her home on time. Can't you do your little mind thing and ask her what's going on?" Scott was moving towards the door. He was racking his brain, trying to figure out where the brat would go. New York was a big city.

"I don't like to do that. It freaks Marie out because of all the voices in her head already."

"Fine, then sit here clueless. I'll be back later." And he simply left, leaving her staring at the closed door and trying to figure what went wrong. Damn the man!

Remy knew the minute he closed the link to his brother that Scott would be on his tail. That was why he didn't do it until he was seated in first class on a United airplane straight to Paris, France. He was still tapping his fingers nervously on the armrest. Then he glanced at his companion.

"Somet'ing wrong?" Marie was gripping the seat so hard that her knuckles were turning white.

"I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe it. I'm going to be sick." Marie glanced at Remy and realized that she would be getting no sympathy from him.

"You're fine. We haven't actually moved yet. If you want to get off…" She looked away from his hopeful face.

"Not on your life." Remy sat back against the seat and closed his eyes. Marie studied his face. He looked so young and vulnerable like this; silent and still. He had beautiful lashes that were long and curled. A delicate bone structure that wasn't quite feminine, but still soft. If only he would shut up, Marie thought, he could be the perfect guy.

_Marie?_ The thought jarred her away from her musings.

_What? You know, this is not the best time for a conversation. I'm on a date_. Jean had sounded worried, which made her feel guilty. Maybe she really should get off the plane.

_I just wanted to make sure you were all right. _Marie shook her head. And then she had to go and play mother. Jeez, Jean.

_I'm fine, Jean. I just want you to let me be alone every once in a while._ Marie erected her shields and ignored the little voice in the back of her head. Well, Jean's and the one that said she should go home.

"Are t'ey already lookin' for us?" Remy asked, resigned. He didn't even bother to open his eyes.

"Seems like it."

"Well, unless Scott has learned t' fly, he couldn' get here before the plane takes off. Even if he knew exactly where t' go."

"That's reassuring." Great, no hope for a rescue.

"On the ot'er hand, our lil' vacation is probably goin' t' be cut short. Scott is annoyingly intuitive about where I'm gonna go. And wit' y' hangin' around…"

"My sister will hunt me down. And probably try to kill you. That will be fun to watch." Remy snorted and didn't look the least bit worried.

Marie squeezed her eyes closed as a voice filled the cabin from the overhead speakers. Remy shook her head and ordered a whiskey from the stewardess. He was going to try and get tanked before the plane hit the ground again. Anything to forget this day. And what he was running from.

"He is in Paris, Creed," Nathanial Essex said, his back turned toward the other man. He missed the look in Victor Creed's eyes. He missed the feral look of pleasure. Essex was concerned with only one thing. He wanted Remy back within his reach. He had plans for the boy.

"Do I bring him back here, or to the school?" He wanted to be able to bring him back to the lab. Essex could easily fix up whatever harm Creed had done to him. Remy was so much more fun than Scott. He was looking forward to the hunt.

"Take him back to the school. Make it seem as if he just decided to return." A low growl escaped Creed's throat, but he nodded curtly to his boss. He would arrive in Paris before the next evening.

"They're at the Xavier Institute. They think they're safe from me!" Jasper Grey yelled, his hands clenched in fists at his side. His drinking buddies, all members of the Friends of Humanity, egged on his feeling of outrage. He had no secrets. His friends knew that his two brats were filthy muties. They knew that they were thrown out of his house as soon as he knew. And they knew that he was very eager to end all "dirty" relationships. He was willing to kill his daughters.

"The Xavier Institute is a haven for those freaks! I say we make some plans and find a way to get rid of that place! As long as people accept muties, then we normal folk don't have a chance!" The leader of this section of the FOH nodded proudly at his followers. It was men like these that would give his people a chance. It was men like these who would do the dirty work for men like him.

At around two in the morning, Jean got tired of waiting for Remy, Marie, or Scott to come back. Apparently Xavier knew of their disappearance, and was quite angry. This wasn't the first time the boys had run off. Adding Marie into the equation was something new, though. Jean couldn't tell if Xavier was worried or angry with her. She hoped he was mad.

Just as she had decided to do a little sneaking out of her own, Jean saw a large car entering the grounds. Xavier and Logan went out to greet the person in that car. Perhaps she could hold off for a little while.

"Good Evening, Dr. Essex," Xavier said formally. "It seems as if your sons have taken off again. I cannot be held responsible if anything happens to them. I warned you the last time…"

"Perhaps the conversation should be taken indoors, Professor," Essex said smoothly. He straightened his cloak and led the way to the large double doors of the mansion. Logan and Xavier had no choice but to follow him.

Essex knew the way to Xavier's office, having been there numerous times when his boys got into trouble. He waited until everyone filed in, and then took over the conversation.

"I do not understand how it is that a fifteen year old boy continues to get the better of you. I am paying extra for you to keep them under your thumb. I thought that was what Logan was hired for. I offered to send my personal body guard down to watch over the boys, but you said that you would take care of it," On the exterior, Nathanial Essex was clam and cool, but on the inside he was roiling in anger. He hated dealing with incompetence. 

"You lied to me, Essex. Remy has telepathy. You failed to mention this to me when the terms were set. How the hell am I supposed to contain the child if he can change the memory of everyone he meets? Logan was watching him, but your son sent him to occupy Scott. The only way for me to keep him under guard is if I watch every second of the day with my shields up at their maximum," Xavier was not doing quite a good job of keeping his cool. His voice rose with every other word. Pretty soon, Jean didn't have to plaster her ear against the key hole to hear what was going on.

"He's that strong? This must be explored," Essex muttered to himself. "Where's Scott?"

Xavier shook his head. "We'll find him with Remy. We didn't even bother trying to keep him in. We know where Remy went. He kidnapped another student and took her to Paris. Betsy is on her way over seas and Logan is scheduled to leave tomorrow. We'll have him back in two days."

"Never mind that. I sent Victor to bring him back here. When he arrives, I expect that he will be punished sufficiently. I will collect him at the discussed time. I do expect that he will be here." With that, Essex strode to the door. Jean had barely managed to hide behind the staircase before the door was flung open.

_Well, I guess I don't have to go anywhere._ She thought, heading upstairs to get ready for bed.

-----------------------

Scott was swearing every foul word and phrase he had ever learned. He was going to kill Remy. His father could put him back together without trouble.

_Hey, Scottie. Y' pretty pissed?_ Remy was cautious. The last time Scott had lashed out through his mind he had a headache for a week.

_Yes._ Scott sent the images of Remy's death to him. Yelling at the kid never did anything useful. After fifteen years, Scott knew exactly how to scare him.

_Jeez, Scottie. I'm sorry. I just needed to get away for a lil bit. I'm, uh, on my way back home._ Scott didn't miss the faint panic that flared up. Remy had always been a touch sensitive.

_Why?_ There was a long pause. Scott was beginning to think that Remy had simply disconnected, but then his voice was back in his head.

_She started to cry._

_Why_?

_She was scared about being so far. Worried about her sister. Scared about how much trouble she was in. God, I hate crying._ Remy's voice shook over the connection. _Anyway, father probably sent Victor to bring me back anyway. I'd rather not run into him._

_ Now you start thinking. We'll talk more when your ass is in __New York__. When should I pick you up? _

> _ Tomorrow morning at seven. _

Scott started to go back home. Since it was about four in the morning, he figured he could get about thirty minutes of sleep. It would have to do. 

Victor grinned. Just who should be at the airport other than Ms. Betsy Braddock. She was a classy bitch from the Institute. If she thought that she was going to get her hands on Remy before he did, she was sadly mistaken.

He hated France. The sights, the smells, the bloody people were the worst. Figures the brat would go to the one place he knew that Creed hated. That would make this hunt even sweeter. To get the "kill" on the prey's home turf.

"Doesn't anyone use cell phones any more?" Marie grumbled as Remy informed her of the latest plans. He grinned and she felt her insides begin to melt. No, no, no. Not this time.

"I told him that you cried." She didn't feel that melty feeling any more. Nope. In fact, she wanted to smack him.

"You WHAT?!" 

"He was not goin' t' believe t'at I didn' go t' Paris at all! I had t' make an excuse as t' why we're back in New York so soon."

"You're a bastard, you know that?"

"So's Scottie. My pere didn' marry neither of our mothers."

"Just shut up." 

"Why? Y're so cute when y'r nostrils flare and y'r eye shoot sparks."

Marie poked him in the ribs. Hard. She smiled when Remy grunted. The airport was only a couple more blocks away.

"Why did you lie to your brother?"

"'Cause he expected me t'. About once every six months I run away and he has t' track me down before anyone else does. It's kinda tradition."

"Then why did you tell him where you're going to be?" Marie asked, thoroughly confused.

"Stop asking questions. T'ings are different now."

> "Or you're just lying to me like you do with everyone else."
> 
> Remy fell silent. 

"I think your plan was ruined by my appearance. I think you couldn't take the chance that I'd tell anyone, so you had to take me along. I think…" 

"Well it's nice to know that one of you is finally thinking," Scott said, leaning against a sign that told visitors where to stand. "Now, what I'd like to know is if you're coming from a plane, why are you on the outside of the airport?"

> "Merde."


	4. Trouble

Title: Family Ties That Bind  
  
Author: Monica  
  
A/N: Sigh. I'm working on the two stories, but I'd rather work on the other one. My sister whined at me 'cause she likes this one, so I'll be trying to do both. Never done that before. Hope I don't get confused! Let's see, in this chapter -just repercussions from the trip. Kinda short (but it didn't take that long to get out, right?). Dead week at school is next week, and then finals so probably at least two weeks til the next update unless I can work through Thanksgiving. :) Please review, tell me what you think. Reviews inspire me to write more!! Thanks!  
  
        "Hey Scottie, how are ya?" Remy said sheepishly. Scott's smile never left his face as he grabbed Remy by the front of his shirt and slammed him up against a wall.   
  
"I have about thirty minutes of sleep thanks to your disappearing act, father and Victor are searching for your sorry ass, and you just wasted almost five hundred dollars on a plane ride you never took. Now why don't you guess how I am?" The vein above his eyes was twitching. Remy thought it prudent not to say a word. "Marie, grab a cab. Now, I don't suppose you want to tell me what you've been doing all night."  
  
"Not really," Remy said, squirming out of Scott's grasp.   
  
"Try again," Scott said, herding everyone into the cab. "I will make your life miserable."  
  
"You won't have to. I just had to settle some debts before I went home. We took a plane to Louisiana; we just didn't stay very long. I purchased some property. You know, your regular Saturday night." Remy felt Marie's hand snake its way into his.  
  
_Don't worry. He's not going to do anything. You just better get ready for the party the Institute is going to throw._ Marie seemed surprised to see that she was holding his hand. She dropped it quickly. Remy rolled his eyes.  
  
Scott shook his head. "Well, at least you got something useful done. They know now, by the way." The anger was slowly draining away. A sense of dread settled over him.  
  
"Yeah, I know. It was only a matter of time, anyway."  
  
"I'm still mad at you."  
  
"I know."  
  
_ How much was she along for?  
  
As little as possible. She didn't see the house. She went with me to the bars, though.  
  
_ "You went to the bars?! With her?!"  
  
Remy winced. "Yeah."  
  
"I changed my mind. I am going to kill you." Remy smiled. Everything was going to be okay.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Jean didn't even look up as Marie entered the room. Now that she knew that Marie was okay, Jean was furious. However, instead of ranting and screaming and getting it out of the way, Jean decided to let her suffer. She deserved it after what the girl had put her through. Just thinking about it made her angry all over again.  
  
"I'm sorry, Jean," Marie said softly, fully braced for the onslaught that was sure to occur. Jean had always had a temper on her. The famous wrath of the redhead.  
  
Jean merely nodded, and flipped a page in the magazine that was open in front of her on the bed. Not that she could concentrate on the page (who cared about 101 ways to look thinner?), but she wanted to give the appearance of calm and normal.  
  
Marie wasn't fooled for a second, but she was glad for the current peace. She didn't get much sleep the night before and wanted some time to get her strength up before dealing with her sister. Plus, she didn't exactly have the time for a long, drawn out fight. She was expected in Professor Xavier's office in five minutes. If she was thrown out of the school, there was going to be a whole new set of problems.  
  
"I have to go to the Professor's office. I'll come straight back here so we can talk, okay?" Without waiting for an answer, Marie fled the room. There was only one person who Marie worried about disappointing. She didn't think she could feel any worse.  
  
She was wrong. The look the professor gave her was enough to make her want the ground to open up and swallow her whole. Remy was slumping in the chair next to her, his long legs sticking out straight in front of him. He didn't look very worried, but somehow that didn't reassure her.  
  
"Marie, Remy explained that he forced you to go along with him yesterday. Unless you have anything you want to add, you are free to go. Just know that you are not allowed to leave the campus for a month." Xavier's voice was grave and his steely blue eyes seemed to bore into her very soul.  
  
"Uh, no, sir." She tried to walk slowly out of the room, but she didn't think she pulled it off. As the door closed, she was sure she saw Remy smirk at her, his devilish eyes gleaming.  
  
"Well, Remy, that was nice of you. Letting the girl off the hook like that. If I weren't sure that she isn't the fleeing type, I don't think I would have allowed her to get away."  
  
"It's jus' easier t' blame the whole t'ing on me. So what does fat'er say t' do wit' me t'is time?" Xavier's eyes narrowed on the young man in front of him. His lack of concern frustrated him to no end.  
  
"We don't need your father's input on how to keep order in this school!" he snapped. Remy rolled his eyes. "You will be under house arrest for the rest of the semester. You will help the kitchen staff after classes, and Logan will take over the rest of your training. Unless you are with him, you will wear this."  
  
Remy's stomach turned at the band of steel that Xavier placed gently on the desk. The triumphant look that Xavier shot at him made anger fire through his head. Still, he pushed the chair back a couple more inches.  
  
Scott started at the bolt of panic that shot through the link with Remy. He was finding it difficult to concentrate on the current conversation, anyway.  
  
"I told you, I didn't know that he was going to run off again." Scott took a deep breath as he tried to keep the exasperation from his voice. Speaking with his father was always troubling.  
  
"Don't talk back to me, Scott. I told you to keep an eye on your brother, to keep him in line. It does not reflect well on our family when he flouts the rules. It looks as if when can't control our own." Essex began to feel the first stirrings of anger. His sons were the only ones who could incite any type of emotion within him. Concerning Remy, it was not usually a good thing.  
  
"Yes, father," Scott said through gritted teeth. He hated this man whom he was forced to call father. He hated this man who seemed to regard him as nothing more than genetic material. And he hated feeling guilty for hating him.  
  
"Your brother will be coming home next week. I suggest you break your link before Remy gets home. You will not want to share his experiences." Scott didn't reply. He knew exactly what "experiences" Remy would be enduring. There was a scar below his right shoulder that still hadn't completely healed from his father's last experiment. "I will see you on Sunday."  
  
Scott slammed the phone down and stared at the door. All thought of the previous conversation was wiped from his mind. Remy stood in the doorway, anger, fear, and frustration tinged with a hint of hysteria emanating from him. But Scott barely noticed this. Scott's eyes were drawn to the band of metal encircling Remy's throat.  
  
"How?...Where?..." Words seemed to bubble in his throat and never make to the opening. Remy seemed to understand.  
  
"It was a gift from father." From the tone, it seemed as if anger won out. Remy's voice was cold and hard. He suddenly seemed older than his fifteen years. Scott made sure not to show any sympathy. Remy would try to take his head off.  
  
"God, I hate him," they said together. They seemed to do that a lot. Used to drive their father mad. Remy sighed and rummaged under his bed. When he emerged, a dropped a small black bag onto the desk near Scott and took a seat at his feet. He tilted his head back to give Scott access to the lock.   
  
Kitty knew something wasn't right. She saw the other kids whispering behind their hands and pointing at Remy. She saw how the grown-ups frowned disapprovingly and shook their heads. Kitty rushed to latch on to his hand.  
  
Remy looked down at the little girl and absently smoothed down her straight brown hair. He didn't need his empathy to know that she was agitated. If he had decided to be honest with himself, he would have realized that he was just glad to have someone else's problems to focus on.  
  
"C'mere, petite," he murmured, swinging her up on to his shoulders. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck and lowered her chin to rest on his wild auburn hair. "Let's go find Scottie."  
  
"No!" She tightened her grip, threatening to choke him. Remy smiled at her show of loyalty. He loved the little imp.  
  
"Well, then let's get some ice cream and watch The Little Mermaid." Kitty kissed his forehead and they went off to get the necessary equipment.  
  
Kitty snuggled in Remy's arms and watched the movie. Even though it was her absolute favorite, her eyes kept sliding towards the doorway. Mr. Logan kept peeking into the room. She didn't like Mr. Logan. He was scary and he seemed to yell at Remy a lot.  
  
Remy fell asleep with Kitty on the couch. Jean threw a big quilt over them. As she looked down on him, she was hit by conflicting emotions. Most of the time he seemed like such a cocky bastard, and yet… Jean wasn't used to people she couldn't read. With Remy's shields, she was left in the dark, and she didn't like it. Jean turned off the television and the light and closed the door to the rec room on her way out.   
  
Remy opened his eyes. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all.  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
Jean closed her eyes. Her head hurt from the practice session. Ms. Braddock seemed to be pushing her awfully hard. She went to the nurse station for some aspirin. There was nobody on duty when she first entered the room. Curious, she headed to the back area. Scott was laying on a cot, a blindfold across his eyes. There was a charred hole in the ceiling above the cot.  
  
"The professor said to make sure he stays unconscious until the glasses come in. Remember what happened last time?" Dr. Reyes asked, carefully inserting an IV into his arm.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Dr. McCoy asked, grabbing her arm and ushering her out of the room.  
  
"I needed some aspirin. There was no one in front."  
  
Dr. McCoy tossed her a pill packet and pointed her out of the room.   
  
"Dr. McCoy, get in here now! The drugs don't seem to working!"   
  
Jean followed him back, only to stop short when a laser blast shot out in front of her.  
  
"Get Xavier in here! He needs to calm down!"  
  
"Xavier is downtown!" Jean didn't wait to act.  
  
_Scott, please close your eyes. Something happened to your glasses._ Scott acted purely from the fear he heard in his head.  
  
_Jean? What are you doing in my head_? He wasn't angry. Jean sent him images of everything she knew, which wasn't much. Still, Scott lay back quietly.  
  
_Don't go. Since they put the damn collar on Remy, he can't talk to me._ She realized that the drugs had worked marginally. He was kind of silly and disoriented.  
  
_Okay. I'll talk to you. What happened?_ she asked soothingly.  
  
_I don't remember. I think I was in the Danger Room and something hit my head (?) I just don't know. Why is your hair black?  
  
What?  
  
The image of you in my head. You have black hair.  
  
Oh. I was just playing around._   
  
_Don't. You're so much prettier._ Scott was intense. Jean sighed as she realized that he probably didn't even know what he was saying.  
  
Just relax. It won't be long now.


	5. A Whole Other Level

A/N1: Sorry for the delay, had finals and holidays and…well, I'll try not to let it happen again, 'k? Also, just cleaning up some things in this chapter and setting a couple other things up. Not hyper exciting, but see note at end. As always, tell me what you want to see, what you like, what you don't, and anything else you feel like saying! Review please!

            Remy couldn't concentrate. Although he was usually most attentive in Ms. Braddock's class (if not for the material, than because she was so nice to look at), he couldn't stop playing with the band around his throat. Luckily, the other kids didn't know what it was, but he didn't like the looks he was getting.

            Another thing. The loss of his powers was enough to drive him insane. His kinetic power was one thing – he barely used it outside of training anyway – but his lack of telepathy had him climbing the walls. Being at the school, there was always a hum of voices hovering just outside his shields. It was comforting knowing that it was there, knowing that there were people around. Without it, he felt deaf, blind and dumb – with an itch he couldn't quite reach.

            "Remy, please stay after class," Ms. Braddock said disapprovingly. Remy slumped in his seat. Would the day never end?

            Marie watched Remy fidget through social science. She hadn't thanked him yet for getting her out of trouble the other day. She was having trouble getting up the nerve because he seemed to disappear whenever she tried to get close. Of course, that really shouldn't bother her. That means he's just like everyone else. Still, he didn't have to protect her like that. She decided to hang around after class and talk to him then.

            "Remy, is there something bothering you? You seem distracted." Ms. Braddock said, concerned. For the first time since he arrived, Remy didn't watch her brush her hair back and watch her cross her legs. He couldn't appreciate the sparkle in her eyes or her full lips. 

            "No, ma'am. Jus' tired." So Xavier obviously didn't tell his staff everything. 

            "Are you sure?" _Ma'am_? Betsy thought. Then she saw a figure pacing in front of the door. _Ah, girl trouble_! "Well, please try to pay attention in class. You may go."

            Remy pulled himself out of the chair and walked dejectedly from the room. Just a few more hours and then Scott would get this damn thing off his neck! He was so focused on his thoughts that he nearly slammed into Marie.

            "Jesus! Watch where y' goin'!" He growled, stomping off.

            "Hey! I wanna talk to you!" Marie yelled, angered by his reaction. "Hold on a minute!"

            "What!" He turned to face her with a scowl.

            "I just wanted to say thanks for getting me out of trouble the other day. I know you didn't have to, so thanks." He just stared at her. "Well, it would have been a lot nicer, but you yelled at me, so then I got mad and forgot all the nice things I was going to say!"

            "Like what?" Remy started to walk again towards the lunch room. His voice was a hair less hostile, and he didn't look at her while they walked, but Marie figured it was a start.

            "Like that it was nice of you to take me along and that I kinda had fun. In the end, anyway."

            They were silent for a few more seconds. "And?"

            "And that not a lot of people would do that. For me, anyway."

            "And?"

            Marie frowned. She was done, dammit. "You're pretty cute when you sleep."

            Remy grinned. "You snore."

            She screeched. "I do not!" She hit him in the arm. Remy started to laugh, which made her hit him again. He began to run down the hall. Marie followed, trying not to smile, but finding it impossible. The faces he was making at her were silly. They ended up out of breath by the time they reached the cafeteria.

            Just as they were reaching for trays, a jolt shook the entire building. Being from mutant high, they just ignored it. Weird things were common place. An earthquake in New York? Boring!

                                                ------------------------

             "What are you still doing here?" Hank asked brusquely, pushing Jean aside as he moved towards Scott with a needle as long as his palm. Jean turned a shade whiter at the size of the thing.

            "I, uh, tried to calm him down," she said, absently touching her head. She was glad Scott seemed to fade out again. Nobody should have to live through that shot. It was practically inhuman.

            He did a double take at Scott, who was now resting peacefully, a small smile on his face. "Oh. Thank you." With a gentleness that was surprising given Hank's stature, he carefully inserted the needle and checked the monitor readings. "You wouldn't mind waiting around until Professor Xavier gets back, would you? I'll excuse you from classes."

            Jean smiled. "Of course not, Doctor."

            Scott felt like he'd been hit by a truck. A bandage was across his eyes. He knew from past experience that he better not open his eyes. He groaned. It had been a while since his powers had become stronger. He could just imagine how excited his father would be when he heard. It was just enough to make you sick.

            "How're y' feelin'?" Remy asked. He had his legs kicked up on the end of the bed and he was leafing through a magazine. They had been through this enough times that Remy only showed minimal concern. Marie opened her mouth, scandalized.

            "Jeez, Remy! Your brother could have been seriously hurt. Would it kill you to show a little bit of sympathy?" Remy glared at her.

            "I wouldn' have let y' in if I woulda known what a pain y' were gonna be!" She frowned at him, but didn't say anything.

            _He's worried. It's just not his style to show he cares, Jean assured her sister. They had gotten word that Xavier was on his way back, so they wouldn't be in the sick room for very much longer. She felt herself getting nervous. She wondered just how much Scott would remember once the drugs wore off. She could do nothing but hope that it wouldn't be enough._

                                                            ------------------------

            "So do you want them both now?" Victor asked, watching his boss monitor the power spike.

            "No, just Remy. I think it will be to our advantage to take them one at a time from now on. They've been getting too…close for my liking." Dr. Essex didn't look away from the monitor. It was too bad the experiment was all set up already for Remy. Scott's new powers would have been so much more interesting. Still, there was time enough for that. "Did you ever find out where he went when he disappeared?"

            Victor growled. The little brat was certainly going to pay for that when he got home. "Down south. Florida, Louisiana, Georgia. He hoped around a bit. Musta figured it out before hand because he caught three different planes. I don't think he did anything more than piss me off."

            Nathanial had his doubts, but as it wasn't really important, he let it go. "Did you pick up the generator?" he asked, knowing full well that he hadn't.

            "No. I'll go now." Victor felt those piercing eyes on him as he left the room quickly.

                                                            ------------------------

            They had been shooed from the room by a very irritated Dr. McCoy. Who would have thought that having a pizza party in the sick room was such a big deal? Remy was whistling as he threw open the door. He felt better seeing Scott for himself. He just began to undress, his shirt in a heap by the closet, when he noticed a lump in his bed.

            "Hello?" He went slowly and pulled the blanket down. Kitty was shaking under the covers, tears streaming down her face. "What's wrong, petite?"

            He picked up the little girl and held her in his lap. She immediately turned towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck. And she didn't stop crying.

            "Kitty, what's wrong?" He felt for a temperature and looked for cuts or bruises. Nothing. "Tell me what's wrong!"

            She wouldn't even look at him. He tried to use his telepathy, but immediately slammed into a mental wall. Sighing, he stood up, wrapped Kitty in a throw, and headed to the girls' dorm. Damn, he hated asking for help. He could feel her heart racing. Well, hell.

            Kitty knew that Remy would help her. He knew everything. When she came to his room, there was nobody there. Kitty was panicked. She knew he wasn't in the common room, the rec room, or the cafeteria – she checked! She didn't know what else to do. She was able to be brave for almost a whole hour because she just knew Remy would fix it. She began to cry. Sticking her thumb in her mouth (something she gave up a year ago), she climbed into Remy's bed and curled up into a ball.

            "You're not supposed to be here. It's after curfew," Marie whispered, looking around the hall.

            "Is y'r sister here?" Remy said quickly. Kitty stopped crying and was whimpering in her throat. She was scaring the hell out of him.

            "Yeah, hold on." Marie was a little put out that he didn't want to talk to her. Still, she opened the door wider to let them in and called out to her sister.

            "She was crying in my room. She won't tell me why," Remy said, sitting on the nearest bed. He unwound Kitty from around his neck. "It's okay, Kitty. Jeannie's real nice and she jus' wants t' see what a pretty girl y' are."

            He looked expectantly towards Jean.

            "What?"

            "Find out why she's crying! What d' y' t'ink?" He cursed in French.

            "But I'm not supposed to invade other people's minds," Jean said.

            "She's four! Jus' tell me why she's crying!" Jean shot him a withering look before turning her attention to Kitty. 

            "Hi sweetie. Remy wants me to look inside your head and tell him how to help you, okay? It's going to tickle a little, but I need you to relax and let me into your head." Kitty gave her a blank look. Jean sighed. "Remy's right. You are a very pretty little girl."

            Jean was surprised how straight-forward Kitty's mind was. It was a long time since she'd seen someone who didn't have secrets and plots twisted up in their mind. She found what she was looking for and tsked in sympathy.

            "Oh, poor baby. No wonder you're scared!" She gave the little girl a hug and kissed the top of her head. Turning to Remy, she said, "Her powers kicked in today."

            He eyed Jean skeptically. "Is that possible? She's four."

            "Well, apparently it is possible because it happened," Jean said, irritated at being questioned.

            Kitty looked up at Remy. "I fell through the wall today," she announced. "It was very scary, but I didn't cry. I went to look for you." She sat up so her bony knees dug into his thighs. "I couldn't find you, though. Then I cried – a little." She looked disgruntled, as if it was somehow his fault.

            Remy shook his head. Kitty was little still. When do women learn that thing that makes you feel as big as a worm?

            "I'm sorry. I was wit' Scott. He's in the sick room." Kitty was slightly mollified and flopped back down. She peered at Jean.

            "You're pretty, too," she said finally. "Not as pretty as me, but still pretty. Right, Remy?"

            "Uh, sure. I better get you back to your room. Tomorrow, tell your hall monitor what happened, okay?" Remy suddenly couldn't get out of there fast enough. He still caught the daggers Marie shot at his neck. He heard Jean laugh as he dragged Kitty down the hall. Women!

            "Remy, I can go by myself. You're not supposed to be here at night," Kitty said, scolding in her voice. Remy groaned and barely resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall.

A/N2: Next time: Scott's back, Remy's gone, and the mansion gets some unexpected guests. Promise, promise some good action in 2 or 3 chapters! (and I'll try to update faster).


	6. Playing Around

 A/N: Here's the next installment. Sorry about the Betsy/Ororo thing in the last chapter (nice catch, Natural, it's supposed to be Betsy). It's fixed now. Also, I noticed I was slipping in Remy's accent. Sorry, but I hate writing it – yet it's not Remy without it. Um, not too mush to say about this. Just tell me what you think. Review please!!!!!

            Scott knew that Remy somehow planned it. There was no way the scamp could miss being in the room every time their father called. It had to have something to do with the telepathy. He thought they should get an answering machine to screen the calls.

            "I didn't know I was going to have a power spike, Father," he explained for the third time. Honestly, for a scientist, you'd think he'd pay attention to his "subject."

            "Is Remy ready to go?" Nathanial asked, annoyed with Scott's tone.

            "No. Is he ever?"

            "How is the new prescription working?"

            Scott sighed. "It's better. My control is better, too, as I'm sure Xavier has told you."

            "_Professor Xavier has not submitted his report yet and I'm asking you. It sounds like Remy's impudence has rubbed off on you. The next time I talk to you, I trust I won't detect it." The phone hung up in his ear._

            Scott rubbed his head. Well, at least he knew how to get off the phone with the man.

            "Ready, Scottie?" Remy asked, throwing the door open and extending his adamantium bo staff so it nudged Scott's chin up.

            "You scheduled the Danger Room?" Scott asked, his mood suddenly buoyed. He pushed aside the staff absently.

            "Got a special pass even. We can use it wit'out the safeties. Only catch is it's goin' t' be monitored by Logan and Xavier, but who cares?"

            Getting time in the Danger Room was hard. It was booked two months in advance. Remy and Scott loved to spar in the gym, but using powers made it ten times more fun.

            "I'll meet you down in five minutes."

            "Honey, you can't choose Remy for your mentor. You need to pick a girl just in case you need someone after hours," Emma Frost tried to explain to the stubborn girl in front of her. Again. How did a four-year-old get into the Institute anyway? The next youngest student was nine.

            "But I like Remy," Kitty pouted. 

            "I know. We all like Remy, but can't you think of one girl who you like?" Emma needed an aspirin. She resisted the urge to tweak Kitty's mind just to end this torture.

            Kitty chewed on her bottom lip and furrowed her brow. "I think Remy likes the girl over there." She pointed to Marie and Jean's room.

            Emma crossed her eyes. "Which one? Just pick one."

            "Jean. No, Marie. No, Jean. She's the pretty one. Like me." Kitty was pleased with herself.

            Emma smiled through gritted teeth. "Jean will work nicely. Now go get some lunch."

            "Aren't you gonna eat, Miss Emma?"

            "No, honey, I have to go lay down." What in the world possessed her to work in a school? Emma practically ran back to the staff quarters while Kitty skipped to the cafeteria.

            "Jean! You're my mother!" Kitty yelled once she saw the girl talking quietly to Marie.

            Marie laughed. "Looks like you finally have someone who wants you to tell her what to do."

            Jean made a face at her sister. Kitty bounded over, a wide smile spread across her face. Her long brown hair was tied with a ribbon, but it was falling down her back.

            "What are you talking about, Kitty?" Jean said, automatically fixing the ribbon. Marie snickered.

            "Emma told me I had to pick a mother, so I picked you!"  Marie knew what she was talking about, but waited to see if her sister picked up on it. From the horrified look on her face, she didn't think so.

            "But…See, Kitty…I can't…"

            She couldn't stand it anymore. Marie was dying. "She means mentor, you dummy."

            Kitty watched in surprise as Jean turned bright red. "Don't you want to be my mother?" she asked in a small voice.

            Jean smiled finally. "Mentor. I'm your mentor, sweetie. Of course I want to be your mentor."

            In seconds, Kitty's confidence was restored. "I thought so." She ran off to get some food.

            Remy didn't think he could take much more. The sweat was running into his eyes and his body felt as if it were made of rubber. Scott was leaning against the wall, waiting for him to catch his breath.

            "I'm okay," Remy gasped, leaning on his staff. The only thing that kept him going was the fact tat Scott's latest power spike hadn't moved him _that far ahead of him. Plus, once he got back from visiting father, they would probably be even again._

            Scott moved towards the circle, limping slightly from the blow to the shin Remy planted earlier. Blood trickled from his lip. His shirt had long since been shed. A pattern of purple and blue bloomed on his chest.

            Remy forced his legs to move. He felt the sticky blood on his leg, a gash to his thigh. A family of bruises on his back made it agony to stand straight. They still had to pull their shots with their powers a bit because they could easily kill each other with one shot, but they weren't pulling much back. 

"Ready?" Scott was a cold bastard when fighting.

            "Go." Remy said, the arrogance back in his voice, the strength belying how he really felt. Suddenly, the pain, the wounds, the fatigue disappeared. All that mattered was getting the kill, was the thrill of victory. Remy had to get creative to avoid some of the blows Scott aimed at him. 

            A quick jab, a duck and an exploding card. Scott was on the ground. Remy placed the tip of his staff at his throat.

            "Bang, y' dead."

            The lights came up and the background turned back to a bare white room.

            "Time!" The professor's voice shot out from the speaker.

            The boys were silent as they showered and bent their bodies into clothing. They didn't make a peep as the doctors fixed their wounds. They moved slowly towards the cafeteria without even looking at each other. They were starving. Like boys across the world, the only thought in their head was getting food into them, and everything can just wait until that happens.

            "What happened to you?" Marie asked, falling into step with the boys. The question was aimed at Remy, but she scrutinized Scott's face too.

            "I kicked Scott's ass," Remy mumbled, grabbing a tray and rushing to get in line ahead of his brother.

            Scott snorted. "You wish. You got one lucky win at the end. I had three." He began to eat as soon as the macaroni was spooned onto his plate.

            "Yeah, but my win had style."

            Marie rolled her eyes, but she still stared at the stitches above Remy's eye and the bruise on Scott's cheek.

            "Did you have to hurt each other? Why couldn't you play non-contact?"

            The boys looked at each other in shock. Was the girl mad? What was the fun in that?

            "I don't think you understand," Scott said slowly, as if to drive home the fact into her head, "We were sparring. The point is to hone our skills so that if anyone is actually trying to hurt us, we'll be ready."

            "Who would try to hurt you?" Marie asked, trying not to look too eager for answers.

            "You know, those anti-mutant groups, maniacal super-villains trying to take over the world. The usual," Scott said between bites. Marie swiped a bite of Remy's apple pie, taking a chance with her life by the way Remy glared at her. She looked thoughtful.

            "Could you teach me? To fight?" She asked the boys, looking from one to the other.

            Remy looked unsure. "Why d' y' need t' fight?"

            "You know, anti-mutant groups, maniacal super-villains. The usual."

            "How are we going to break into that place? There are more security systems there than in the White House!" The Captain looked disdainfully at the whining man. Some people just needed to be told what to do.

            "We don't care about setting off a few alarms. The point is to level the place. Think of how that mansion will look in a pile of rubble on that manicured lawn." The men were silent, hanging on his every word. It didn't matter what he said. He was a leader, their leader. "I was hoping this shipment would arrive in time for the meeting."

            A large crate sat in the corner, inconspicuously. The men watched expectantly as the Captain pried the top off.

            "This, gentlemen, is enough dynamite to take out five of those mansions. And these have enough firepower to take out a man at 500 feet, easy." A cache of guns were poured onto the table, shining under the single overhead light. Another box was filled with ammunition. Smiles appeared as the men envisioned themselves the savior of humanity, the destroyer of evil. "Let's study these plans. We're going to have five strike teams. Jasper, you take your squadron to section three…"

            "Hey, Marie," Scott said, catching up with the girl as she swept down the hall.

            "Yeah?" She was curious as to why he wanted to talk to her.

            "Be ready after dinner. You have to train your body before we can really spar. Meet me in the gym." She nodded solemnly, noting the change in Scott's manner. She wasn't going to be helpless any more. Nobody was going to push her around. Nobody was going to make her fear the shadows. Nobody was going to scare her anymore. Especially him.

            Scott wore a grim expression as he watched Marie go to her room. He wasn't going to let anything happen again. He was going to help Marie because he couldn't help her. He was going to make sure that Marie wasn't going to join his nightmares. 

A/N2: We're going to have some real fun next chapter, as I promised. I'm trying to get Marie more in the story. Any ideas? Any characters you want to see (nessa, I know you want Jono. I'm working on it)? I'd really like to thank Jukebox for consistantly reviewing this story and Convergence. I thrive on happy words! J Anyway, tell me what you think! Thanks!


	7. Bounce

A/N: Just a couple of quick words to a couple reviewers (I love you all, though!)

Roguechere and other Marie/Rogue lovers: You're going to have to watch me for OC behavior for Marie. She's not my favorite character, but I wanted the Remy/Rogue pairing for this story. I'm trying to be good, but be quick to criticize if I get too out there, k? Yes, Scott is talking about someone else. You're right, this passage is atrocious. I was trying to hurry and post before leaving. I'll fix. Thanks for the catch!

Natural: I'm counting on readers like you to keep me true to the story. Since I'm writing two stories with basically the same characters, it gets kinda confusing (Ororo was a teacher in the other story, and Betsy was a kid), so I need all the help I can get. There's a strange Remy/Ororo moment in the first chap that I caught because of you, so thanks (In the process of fixing)! Age difference? Uh, 2-3 years, I think. S-17, R-15? That works.

Caliente: Glad you like Kitty *grins*. She's one of my favs in this. Sam, Bobby are probable. I don't know who Jean-Paul is, so he won't be in this. Kurt, eh, maybe, but unlikely. Actually, I love Sam. I'll come up with something…

Now on with the story…

            "Haven't seen much of you lately," Ororo said, trying to keep the hurt out of her voice. Remy was draped across her bed as she watered her plants and cleaned up. He had walked in unannounced, as usual. He was the sole reason she was so diligent about locking her door while dressing.

            "Yeah, I know. Sorry 'bout t'at. I missed y', though." He followed her with those red eyes, such a serious look on his face.

            "I didn't miss you a bit," she said, smiling. Her long ponytail twitched in his face and Remy tugged on it playfully.

            "I know t'at y' can' live wit'out me. Kitty said she heard y' crying in y'r room because I haven' been here t' make y' clean." Remy sat up slowly, his mind obviously concerned with other things.

            Ororo watched him carefully. Something was wrong. "Is that girl treating you alright? I can beat her up if you want." She sat next to him and wrapped her arms around him.

            "Y'r my best friend, 'Ro. I need t' ask y' something. Is it worth it? The games, the smiles, the hand holding? I like her, I really do, and yet I know t'at the ending I picture, the happily ever after will never be. It's all jus' make-believe." Remy leaned against her, felt the steady beating of her heart, felt the love that radiated from her. Ororo would tell him straight. He trusted that from her.

            "You want me to tell you that things will be everything you want? Or to tell you that you're a fool for trying? Rem, I can't tell you what's going to happen any more than you can tell me. Who are you asking for advice anyway? Me, who hasn't had a boyfriend in three years. Me, who can't even talk to a guy without going stone cold. Part of me wants to tell you to run for the hills, that this girl cannot even begin to deserve you. It's safer to be alone because you know exactly who you can trust. The other part of me wants you to throw your whole being into trying, into loving, into living the fairytale." Ororo turned to smile at him. "Then you can tell me how to do it."

            Remy rested his chin on the top of her head. "I don' know what comes next. She has no idea about my life, how t'ings are with fat'er. She can' possibly understand how screwed up my head is."

            "Not if you don't tell her." Ororo knew that he still felt the pain of his past. "You forget, everyone's here for a reason. Nobody's life is a charmed life."

            "When did y' get all grown up? And get t' be such a bloody romantic?" He looked down at her and smiled. "'Ro, y' know I love y', right?"

            "'Course. Are you going to tell her?"

            Remy made a face. "If I have t'. Maybe just a little at a time…"

            "My mommy and daddy are dead," Kitty said solemnly. She was playing with Jean's hair, and in Jean's opinion, making a complete mess.

            "I'm sorry to hear that. So how did you come here? Did the professor find you and bring you?" Conversation was a bit difficult with a four-year-old.

            "No. Remy did. And Scottie."

            "Oh, really? How did that happen?"

            Kitty opened her mouth, then shut it again. "I can't tell you. Remy said to keep it a secret or he might get in trouble."

            Jean was interested now. "Well, you can tell me, though. I'm your mentor. You can tell me anything."

            Kitty shook her head. "Remy said no one." She was humming happily as she tried to tie a ribbon on the end of a braid.

            "Jean! I'm surprised at you, pumping a little girl for information," Scott chided softly. Jean colored brightly, her face as red as her hair. Scott ruffled Kitty's hair and kissed the top of her head. The little girl beamed at him, but didn't turn away from her masterpiece.

            "I was just curious, I mean, I didn't mean to… Well…" she trailed off, realizing that she was good and caught. "Well, what happened?"

            Scott thought for a moment. "I'll tell you later."

            "You mean when Kitty's not around to correct your version of things."

            "Yup. Come on Kitty, let's go outside. I'll give you your swimming lesson." That was the right thing to say. Kitty was out of the room, stripping out of her clothes on her way. Scott tried to yell at her to wait until she was in her room, but he wasn't quick enough. "Try to get her to stop that, 'mother.'"

            Jean was still flushed, but not at all sorry. She needed to know if they could help her, if they could be trusted with her life, with Marie's life.

            Sam eyed his partner warily. 

            "Are you sure about this?" he asked. He knew how to maneuver through mines, labor in the field, and drive a tractor, but this fighting thing was still pretty new.

            "Yeah, kid," Logan said, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. Marie was getting anxious. Scott, true to his word, had been working with her in the evenings.

            Sam slowly got into sparring position opposite Marie. He didn't think it was fair. He was so much bigger than she was. And it was a girl! His momma would burn his ears with a scolding about hitting a girl.

            "Go!" Marie started on the offense. Logan watched with suspicion. He didn't teach her those moves. She was backing Sam against the wall, never letting up for him to catch a breath.

            "Break!" Sam cocked his head to the side, reevaluating his position. No little girl was going to make him look like a fool. Logan growled at Marie, "Where did you get those moves, girl?"

            "I'm taking private lessons," Marie answered cautiously. Logan stared at her for a second before telling them to get back into position.

            "Go!" Sam concentrated and was able to keep up with Marie fairly well. Marie started with the basic moves that Logan started her with. Eventually, as the fight continued and Sam's strength was coming into play, she had to become more inventive. Sam couldn't quite remember how he found himself on the ground, Marie's foot at his throat. 

            "Thanks!" Sam gasped as Marie helped him up. "Where did you learn that, miss? That was incredible."

            "It's Marie, not miss. Like I told Logan, I'm taking private lessons." She studied the boy. He was quite nice to look at. Blonde hair, blue eyes, nice body, and so polite! "If you need anything, just ask. I haven't been here for very long, but I'd be happy to help."

            Sam smiled at her as they walked to their dorms. He had been worried about moving to the city, but it seemed like the people here were just as nice as back home.

            Scott was teaching Kitty how to float on her back when the shooting began. The windows began exploding and the street lights crashed. At first he thought that Theresa was upset again, but then he saw the men storm over the hill and felt the heat of a bullet as it streamed past him.

            "Kitty!" He grabbed her and ran into the mansion as fast as he could. He felt stickiness on his leg, but didn't let it slow him down. He stopped Jubilee and handed Kitty to her. "Get her down to the tunnels!"

            _Remy! Where the hell are you?_ Then he remembered the collar. Shit!

            "Scott!" Jean ran straight to him and threw her arms around him. "He's after us. I don't know how he found us, honest!"

            "Calm down, Jean. Who is after you?" He pulled her into the stairwell and led her down to the tunnels. He tried to detangle himself from her grasp, but Jean wasn't cooperating.

            "My father. He's part of the FOH. When he found out Marie and I were mutants, he freaked out and…well, we left after that." She tried to focus on something else, anything to keep from crying. A young boy ran by, his shirt splattered with blood.

            _Concentrate on me._ Scott said, forcing her to look at him. _You need to reach as many kids as possible and lead them here safely. That means don't let anyone else follow them. Get them here to safety. And find Remy for me._

            Jean nodded slowly and closed her eyes. "Remy's on the roof. He needs help."

            Scott ran away from her, praying that his little brother would last just a few more minutes. He could feel something was wrong.

            He was out of loose bricks and roof tiles. They didn't make quite the impact they would have if they had been charged. Remy didn't let himself panic, but he could start worrying. He could hear the noise in the halls and the men on the ground aiming at him were pretty good reasons for worry.

            "Why is it I always have to save your ass?" Scott said from above him. He took aim and knocked out three men on the ground with his eye beams. They did not look like neutralizing shots. Remy grabbed his brother's hand and let Scott pull him into the attic window.

            "How's Kitty?" Remy asked leaning his head forward so Scott could get the collar off. Remy was pissed enough to mention this to his father next time he was home. With his powers, there would have been no need for him to panic…uh, worry.

            "She should be fine. I gave her to Jubes and watched her go down the stairs," Scott said as the collar popped off.

            "Yeah, she's fine," Remy said, glad to have his telepathy back. "She's crying, t'ough. What's the story wit' t'is group? Your typical mutant haters?"

            "And Jean and Marie's father's group to boot."

            "Well, let's get rid of t'ese guys. T'ey're shooting t' kill. Let's take t'em out!" Just as they were about to climb out of the window, Xavier, Betsy and Emma all walked out on to the grounds, calm as ever. Men were following them, as if in a trance. They walked back over the hill, out of sight. Guns littered the yard, glass was in shards, and small fires were burning. Scott and Remy watched the teachers walk calmly back inside.

            "What took them so long? Three of the world's greatest telepaths and not one knew a mass of men were coming to campus?" Scott mused. Remy shrugged.

            "T'ey're shielded much better t'an before. I can' tell."

            The brothers walked back into the mansion quietly. What was going on?

            "You're going to tell me a story, aren't you Jean?" Scott asked icily. He led the pale girl to a quiet corner in the library and waited for her to talk.

            "My father has always been a mutant hater. I didn't know I was one until I turned thirteen. Unlucky number, huh? I knew how my father felt, so I tried to hide it the best I could, but sometimes things would happen that I couldn't help. Still, father was only a little suspicious. And anyway, he didn't want to admit he could be related to a mutant." She took a deep breath and slumped in the armchair. "Then Marie's powers came out. She kissed this boy and he just passed out. And never woke up. His parents came over and screamed at her. My father didn't say a word at the time. Then they went away and he came after her with a bat. Good thing I had my TK, huh?"

            Scott took a deep breath. He couldn't help it. He pulled her into a hug and held her as she continued. "We ran away, but the police took us right back. He was afraid to touch Marie, but not to touch me. Still, Marie got her share. He tried to burn the power out of her skin. On her upper arms, the scars…"

            "And you?" Scott asked softly. Jean turned towards him, resting her head against his chest. She shrugged.

            "Mine are invisible. They rest here." She placed his hand over her heart. It was too much; she reached up and kissed him hard. 

            "I need t' tell y' a story," Remy said to Marie, pulling her out if the room. She saw how serious he was, and immediately excused herself. They sat side by side against the chimney on the roof. Remy tried to put the words together. "I was seven when my fat'er began his first experiment on me. I had my powers before I could ride a bike. T'ey've been getting bigger ever since."

            Marie held his hand. Remy squeezed hard. "Sometimes I don' know what's real and what's not. Every month I find myself strapped t' a table and when I wake up, the world is different." 

            "How could your father do that to you?" she wondered, scooting a little closer to him.

            "How could your fat'er do what he did t' y'?" he asked quietly, running his hand over her arm. She shuddered at the thought. "I just wanted y' t' understand why I can' feel normal, be what y' expect. Honestly, the way I feel wit' you is not'ing I've ever felt before. But I can' tell y' what I'm going t' feel tomorrow, or de next day, or…"

            "That's why we take it one day at a time," Marie said. "You never know, I could get tired of you."

            Remy let out a dry laugh. "T'at'll be the day. I got all the femmes hangin' over me."

            "And you're scared of the day you don't. The day when you're alone again."

            Remy looked up in surprise. "How did you...?"

            Marie smiled sadly. "I just know. When you leave tomorrow, go home, is your dad going to mess with you again."

            "Always."

            "Can I help?"

            "No. Nobody can. T'ere are worse t'ings, anyway."

            Scott kissed back, feeling the heat of her body, the need overwhelm him. He ran his hands down her back and circled her waist, holding her tightly. Jean whimpered in the back of her throat. Scott groaned as he was pulled over the edge. His tongue swept in her mouth and caressed, stroked hers. Jean's hands ran through his hair as she pulled his head back and took control. She pressed her body against his and nibbled on his lower lip. She looked into his face, past the rose-colored lenses, and saw love.

A/N: Talk about sap-n-crap! I'll stay true to the PG-13 (well, PG-15 at least). Anyways, sorry 'bout the wait, sorry about the action that was promised. I had planned to make the FOH scene bigger, but decided it really wasn't necessary. Ahh, forgot the Kitty story. Next chapter, if you want it. As always, please tell me what you think, what you like, what you don't. Sam gets in the story more next chap, promise.


	8. Back and Forth

A/N: What does JOTT mean? Anyways, sorry for the delay. Bad case of writer's block, among other things. I try to cover a bunch of things, so forgive me if it's a bit disjointed. Thanks to Nessa for help with the Kitty story!

            Remy was gone. Scott had dutifully seen his brother off, bore his father's lectures, and then walked back into the mansion, bewildered. Now what?

            "It feels so strange," he told Jean. "I don't even really like the brat sometimes, but always knowing that he was there was…comforting."

            Jean rolled her eyes. "He'll be back in a week. It's not like you'll lost your brother or anything."

            "That shows how much you know. When Remy comes back, it is just possible that he is totally different. One time after my father got his hands on Remy, the kid came back speaking French!"

            "But he's still going to be your brother. The core is going to be the same. Stop worrying." Jean wrapped an arm around his waist and gave him a quick squeeze for reassurance.

            Scott grimaced. "I sure hope so." He allowed her to pull him into the school and away from the view of the car heading around the corner.

            "It's been a while, punk," Victor said, pulling Remy along by his ponytail.

            "Y' miss me?"

            "Not even a little bit. Your father is waiting for you in your bedroom. And he's still a little pissed at you for your little disappearing act." Victor growled at the memory. Mostly at his being yelled at.

            "Are y' mad at me?" Remy didn't sound concerned at all. He was used to Victor's threats, even though he was pretty sure that they were not all just for show.

            "Yup. When you're ready for retraining, I'll get back at you."

            Remy shook his head. Scott didn't know that Victor really didn't hate them. He didn't know that he was being controlled the same way they were by their father. Of course, that probably wouldn't mean anything. And Victor was a sadistic bastard on his own. 

            "I'll blast y' across the world." He looked up at the giant of a man. "So what am I getting this time? Beams like Scotty? TK?"

            "Dunno. Stop talking so much and get out of here." Remy dragged his feet toward his bedroom. The sooner they started, the sooner it would be over. That thought didn't make him move any faster, though.

            "What's your sister doing with the new kid?" Scott demanded, watching Marie laugh at something Sam said. "Remy's been gone for all of ten minutes!"

            "It looks like she's laughing," Jean said, following his gaze. "Scott, it's your turn for a story." She was trying to turn his attention.

            "What?"

            "About Kitty, remember? You said you'd tell me how she got messed up with you guys."

            "Ah yes. The one you were so unethically trying to pry from the poor little girl's lips." He smiled at the memory.

            "Which your brother had sealed so well, the little brat," Jean grumbled.

            "All right, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. Including your sister."

            Jean nodded solemnly.

            Scott sighed, not trusting her word for a second.

            Remy shut his eyes. The glimpse of the needle his father held was enough to make him want to swoon, a definite unmanly sort of action. Better not to watch.

            Dr. Essex smiled slightly as he administered the drug. His son hadn't changed a bit. He untangled his hand from Remy's as the boy slipped quickly into unconsciousness. He didn't really cause the boy pain just for the sake of causing pain, after all. Only when there was no other way to do what needed to be done. Still, it wasn't such a bad thing to have the boys a little wary of him. He patted Remy's shoulder before turning away to set up the program to monitor him.

            Remy was prepped for the experiment. Dr. Essex couldn't wait to see if the melding would work. He had plans for this boy. He mustn't fail now.

---

            Scott began, "Remy has a certain empathy that draws him to people who are hurt or upset. It's something that he's lived with for quite a while now. We were visiting Chicago with our father and we were allowed to wander on our own for a while. Remy kept moving through the residential area, but he had no idea where he was going. I, of course, was under strict instructions to watch over him, so I was dragged along. He stopped in front of this huge colonial style house and was staring at it with such intensity, I thought he'd flipped." Scott remembered the overcast sky and the threat of rain as he nervously watched his brother scan the area…

---Flashback---

            "What are you doing? Let's get out of here!" Scott hissed, trying to pull Remy away. He knew they were going to be late in meeting their father. He didn't really want to sit through another lecture about responsibility.

            "There's a girl in there," Remy said quietly. He pointed to the front door, then frowned. He moved his hand down. "In the basement."

            "So? Let's go."

            "She's crying." Remy put a hand to his head. 

            Scott frowned. "That's too bad for her. You can't save the world, you know. Let's get away from here and then you won't be able to feel her."

            Remy turned to look at him, but didn't say a word. Scott could feel the disappointment that Remy felt in him. He shifted slightly, trying to hold his own against that look. The glare was slowly breaking down Scott's defenses. He sighed.

            "Well, what do you want to do?"

            "Make her feel better," Remy said, moving toward the house. He simply opened the front door and walked in. Scott, left standing on the sidewalk, was at a loss. Not having anything better in mind, he chased after Remy.

            "Hold on! You can't just walk in there!"

            Remy was down in the basement. A single light bulb glowed softly in the damp basement. It smelled of rot and decay. Scott pulled his jacket closer. It was also freezing. Remy's eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness, but Scott was having a harder time. His glasses didn't help compensate for the lack of light.

            "It's okay, petite," Remy said soothingly. He was rocking a slip of a girl in his arms. A mess of brown hair cascaded around her head. Remy looked up as he heard Scott come down the stairs. A playing card that was charged and ready to fly was in his hand.

            "Is she hurt?" Scott asked, crouching down next to them, ignoring the threat. He could see his breath misting in the air.

            Remy nodded, and then shook his head. "She's hurt more inside than out," he whispered. "She can't stay here."

            "Jesus, Remy! We can't just take the girl like she's a stray puppy or something!" Scott ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.

            "I know that!" Remy froze as dust wafted from the ceiling. "Let's go." Was all Remy said. He handed the girl to Scott, who held her gently against his shoulder. The little girl wrapped her arms around his neck trustingly. He groaned as he realized that he couldn't leave her there.

            "We can take her to a police station or something."

            When the got the top of the stairs, Remy stopped suddenly in front of Scott. _Get her out of here! Make an exit!_

            Scott immediately turned around and blasted a hole in the wall. He stumbled out among the dust and rubble. It wasn't until he heard the second blast that he realized Remy wasn't behind him.

            "Shit! Remy!" Scott tried to put the girl down, but she clung stubbornly to his neck. "Get out here!" He finally gave up and was going to run back inside the front door with the girl around his neck when Remy came running out. He saw Scott and slowed to a walk. He didn't look any worse for the wear. 

            "What the hell happened?" Remy kept walking at a fast pace. He didn't look behind him. "Remy!" 

            "Not now!" Scott stared at his brother. The tone of his voice brooked no opposition. He shifted the girl on his hip. She tugged on his shirt.

            "What is it, sweetie?" he said absently. He had a feeling of what happened in that room.

            "Is mommy coming back?" She sounded worried at the possibility. Tears clouded her brown eyes. Scott was pretty sure he didn't want to know.

            "No," Remy answered. He pushed the wet strands of hair away from her face. "Is that okay?"

            She nodded slowly. "Mommy was mean to me." She stuck her thumb into her mouth.

            "I know."

------End Flashback----

            Jean stared at Scott. "And then what happened? Nobody came looking for her? What did Remy do? Is that why you're in trouble?"

            "Then Kitty came with us. Our father was livid, but agreed that she could stay as long as she lived here. Nobody came for her and if Remy wants you to know what he did, he'll tell you. Jeez, you're nosy."

            Jean smacked his arm. "How many other people have you helped?"

            Scott grit his teeth. "A few. Remy is hard to say no to. Especially when he wants to help someone. How do you tell him that he has to let someone suffer?"

            She smiled at him. "Well aren't you a sweetheart?"

            "No, I'm not. I just look to find ways to complicate my life. Remy, the brat, is just all too eager to help."

            "Like I said – sweet."

---

            "What'd y' do t' me?" Remy slurred, coming out of the drug-induced sleep. He could make out his father's form above him.

            "Just changed your powers a bit. You are closer to your original strength. I trust that the extra practice will make it easier to work with now that you've begun to level out since the last power surge." Dr. Essex checked the vital signs. Everything seemed to be going as planned.

            "Now I have to start all over again," Remy mumbled. The bright lights were hurting his eyes.

            "Don't be ridiculous. You learned it once, you can do it again. I upped you kinetic charge, your empathy and your telepathy. I also added extra agility."

            "Why?" He asked the question that had been swimming around his head for years. He had refrained from asking it only because he feared the answer. The drugs didn't let his better judgment rule his mouth.

            "Why? Why do you think, Remy? Soon there will be no more humans on this earth. Survival goes to the strong. I will make you strong enough to carry on my work, my life into the new era." That clinched it. His father was mad.

            "What about me? I don't want to have all this power." He heard the sullenness in his voice.

            "What about you? You are nothing in the scheme of things. You exist because of me. You will do what I tell you to do. You think in years, I think in millennia." There was no question that the conversation was over as his father swept from the room. Remy lay back on the bed, his hands clenched into fists. Across the room, a screw lying on the table disintegrated with a small bang. 

---

            Marie was laughing at one of Bobby's jokes. She felt a twinge of guilt at having so much fun while Remy was most likely miserable. Then Sam would touch her hand or Jubilee would tug on her arm, and all thoughts of Remy would fly away. They were touching her. It had been years of craving human contact that made Marie delirious with delight. They didn't shrink away or hesitate.

            "Marie?" 

            "Yes?" She noted the worried look on Bobby's face.

            "Are you okay? You seem kinda distant."

            "Bobby, I'm perfectly fine." She gave him a dazzling smile and wrestled with Tabitha for the remote.

A/N2: I had intended to make it a double long chapter, but in the interest of getting something out, you're getting only a slightly longer chapter. Please tell me what you think. I need a little direction. I know how it ends, but I'm not real sure how to get there. Also, I'm working on Convergence, but I'm having real problems there. Hopefully some inspiration will come quickly. Review!!!!!! Please!!!!! 


	9. Do you see what I see?

A/N: For those who want to know: more FOH, more Remy, more Marie, more drama, drama, drama. Pretty short chapter though. Fun stuff next time: see the extent of Rem's new powers. Plus Jasper makes a friend. And more 'Ro.

            They failed. He didn't even see that red-headed bitch. Jasper couldn't even stand it.  He watched his FOH section leader mingle with the folks, looking as if he didn't care that they didn't get a single kill. The day still confused him, though no one else seemed to worry. He remembered seeing that rich house over the hill; he remembered the excitement of hearing the pandemonium inside. Then there was nothing and he woke up inside his own house with a killer headache. Talking to the others, no one was sure what happened, but they were pretty sure they did some damage. But the papers showed no news about the school. There was nothing to record their deed. He went back to the house, and there it stood. There were kids playing outside without a care in the world. That was when his world fell apart. No one wanted to believe him. He felt the rage build up inside until he couldn't hear anything except the pounding of the blood through his body. If nobody was going to help him, he would do it himself. Jasper stared, glazed, as the night's guest speaker began. He needed to plan. Nothing would make him happy until he saw the blood begin to run, hear the screams echo in the night.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            Marie was having nightmares. She woke up for the past three nights shaking under her covers. They were the strangest dreams and she was afraid of what they meant. Still, she knew that they may be important. She dragged her feet.

            "Scott, can I talk to you?" Jean raised her eyebrow questioningly, but Marie shook her head. The last image was vivid in her mind, and she wanted to talk to Scott before it faded. Scott followed her, looking back at Jean questioningly. Marie shut the door behind them as they entered the vacant dining room.

            "I've been having these dreams," she began. "I think I can see into Remy's mind."

            Scott tried to keep from smiling. She missed the boy; that was the reason for the dreams. His voice was soothing as he tried to placate her. "Marie, Remy can't project this far away. He'll be back soon."

            "I don't think you understand. I can see through his eyes and hear what he's thinking." She struggled for the words that would make him understand. "It's not just a dream!"

            "Can you tell me what he's thinking now?" He still didn't believe her.

            "No. But I can tall you what your father looks like. And what your room looks like at home," Marie said, clearly frustrated. "And Remy told me that your father likes to change your powers. Maybe he made Remy stronger."

            Scott was getting irritated. "Marie, what do you want? I don't have time for this."

            "Your father has white skin, so pale it looks like costume make-up. His eyes glow red like Remy's and there's a diamond on his forehead. You share a room with Remy even though your house must have ten bedrooms. There's nothing in there except two beds, two dressers, and a desk. The walls are stark white, your blankets are grey. There's a huge man there with Remy. He has long blondish hair and grey eyes. I want you to help because I think Remy needs help." She stood as if she were ready to physically detain him until he believed her.

            Scott stared at her. He noticed that she looked ready both to fight him and start crying. He sighed, finally admitting to himself that she could actually be right. "Okay, tell me what you think is happening…"

----------------------------------------------------------------

            Kitty was on the prowl. It had been a week since her last swimming lesson, three days since she'd played with Jean's hair, eight days since Remy watched Beauty and the Beast with her and she was upset over the lack of attention paid to her. Kitty did what any slightly spoiled (okay, very spoiled), emotionally secure four-year-old would do - she screamed. That brought five people running into the hall.

            "What's wrong?"

            "Are you okay?"

            "Are you hurt?"

            "Kitty, what's wrong?"

            "Stop that!" Scott yelled, storming into the hall.

            Kitty stopped in sheer surprise. Scott yelled at her. Scott never yelled. She pouted with her hands on her hips. "You yelled at me."

            Scott kneeled down to her height. "You were screaming for no reason."

            "Was not."

            "Were too."

            "Na uh." She stuck out her lower lip. People began to drift away, leaving them alone.

            Scott was aware that he was trying to argue with a highly illogical female. He took a different track. "Then why were you screaming?"

            "'Cause nobody would play with me," Kitty explained as if talking to someone highly stupid.

            Scott felt as if he were losing his mind. First, Marie getting visions in her sleep, and now this. "Kitty, that is no reason to scream. If you want attention you say, 'Excuse me, Scott, but I would like to play now.' Then I would say, 'Yes, Kitty, let us play.' Do you see how that works?"

            She thought about it. "Scott, I wanna go swimming."

            "I can't right now."

            Kitty looked confused. "But you just said that you'd play with me."

            Scott was sure of it. He was officially crazy. "That was an example. I can't say yes all the time."

            "Why?"

            "Because I need to talk to Marie right now."

            "Talk to her later. Play with me."

            "But, Kitty…" Her eyes began to tear.

            "Don't you like me any more?" He felt like shit. 

            "You know you're my favorite girl." He sighed as he realized she wasn't listening. He picked her up and carried her to the kitchen. He was happy to see Ororo there, studying the contents of the refrigerator.

"Why don't you make cookies with Ororo?" he said, silently pleading with her. Ororo must have caught his urgency.

            "I was thinking chocolate chip, what do you like, Kitty?" She held out a hand to the girl while shooting a look at Scott. The little girl sniffed and wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

            "I like chocolate chip."

            'Thanks 'Ro,' Scott mouthed at her as she began to pull ingredients out of the cupboards.

            'You owe me,' she mouthed back, a good natured smile on her face. Kitty loved to bake, but she sure was messy.

            Jean had drifted back to her study group and watched Scott run up the stairs towards his room. She twisted her head around to look for her sister. Marie was curled up in the den, her history book opened in front of her.

            "What's up, Marie?" Jean said, frowning over the way her sister jumped.

            "Nothing," Marie said feebly. She moved over to let Jean sit and then laid against her. "I want to get out of here."

            "I know. Just give it a little more time. You're getting better with your powers, right?"

            "Yeah, I guess. Do you really think we'll get away? It's obvious dad knows where we are." Marie was playing with a loose thread in the blanket.

            "I plan on learning enough to take care of him. No more running, just living on our terms," Jean narrowed her eyes. "What did you tell Scott?"

            Marie shook her head. "Do you always gotta know everything? Maybe that is none of your business."

            "Maybe," Jean allowed. She didn't ask again.

            Marie sighed. "I think I imprinted Remy. I've been having nightmares."

            "What's imprinting?"

            "When Remy touched me, I think I kept some of his memories. Scott thinks I'm remembering them because I miss him or something. I think he's wrong. I can feel him, I swear."

            "What are you going to do?" Jean asked, knowing her sister all too well.

            Marie smiled grimly. "I'm going to help him, of course."

-----------------------------------------------------

            Remy was finally getting his head straight again. The room no longer swooped and swirled in front of him. He had been having the strangest dreams. Marie kept on calling out to him, but he couldn't talk. Weird.

            "Good, you are awake." His father's voice sliced through his thoughts. Remy kept his anger under control while turning towards him. "I want to run some tests."

            Always with the testing. At least he'd get out of the damn lab. Plus, he was pretty curious about what had happened.  His body and the room were both humming with energy. He felt he could take on the world.

Remember to review please!


	10. Next Cut

A/N: These scenes are so cut up, designed to irritate the most avid of readers. Good luck with piecing everything together. Decided to go a different way from originally intended, so whatever I promised last chap no longer applies…

The explosions wouldn't stop. Remy tried to breathe deep and relax, but he couldn't stop the flow of energy from his fingertips. It felt like it was ripping him in two. And his father's face clouded his vision. The bastard was pleased. He felt like his body was burning from the inside out, and the bastard was pleased. Remy blew up his cape.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marie walked out of the gates. Nobody stopped her. No one even made a half-hearted protest. She turned the corner and began to relax. Her backpack seemed to get heavier as she moved further and further away from the Institute, and she glanced sadly back. Add to that the strangest feeling of being watched, and Marie was tenser than a bow string. She wasn't scared. She was bloody terrified. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Remy slipped out unnoticed. The explosions had decimated the lab and it was pandemonium as they tried to put things back together and clear out the space. His father was no longer pleased at the transformation. He had ordered Remy out of the way. Remy figured across the country should be far enough. He whistled happily as he wheeled the motorcycle from the garage.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She wasn't quite sure of where she was going to end up. She was pretty sure that Jean was going to flip once she realized that she had cleaned out their savings. Marie hugged her knees to her chest as she waited for the bus to arrive. 

Why was she going? It's not like Remy was anything special. It's not like he even needed her help. It's not like… There were a million reasons of why she should stay at the school, mindlessly going about her business and not one good reason of why she should go. Marie sighed. She had to go if to do no more than shut the voice in the back of her head up.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ororo groaned as she read the email. What rotten timing! She began pulling out her duffel bag as she sent off a reply. Trust Remy to make things so complicated.

_Thanks 'Ro! Y' know I can' do anyt'ing wit'out y'_

_ Remy! Where are you?_

_ Not in __Kansas__ anymore, t'at's for sure._

She rolled her eyes and began throwing clothes into the bag. Insufferable brat. God, she loved him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scott rubbed his eyes. His father was pretty pissed. It seemed that Remy had disappeared again, and he took off before Dr. Essex could replace the tracer at the base of Remy's spine. He could be anywhere. Somehow that meant that Scott had to hear about it. Never mind the fact that he was supposed to be under his father's supervision.

"How am I supposed to know where he went? Remy's the one with the telepathy!" Scott heard his father mutter that he knew that was a bad idea. 

"Just inform your brother that when I get him in my hands again, he's in for a behavior modification experiment." The phone slammed down in Scott's ear. It seemed his father was capable of an emotional response. Scott carefully replaced the receiver. He then dragged his suitcase out from under his bed and began to pack.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was quiet in the dining room. Jean sat with Theresa and Tabitha, discussing the schoolwork due in the next few days. Jean kept an eye out for her sister or Scott, missing them all of a sudden. She hadn't seen Marie since she'd climbed out of bed this morning and Scott hadn't shown up to walk her to class after lunch.

Dinner tasted like dust and Jean became aware that she was gripping her fork so hard her knuckles were turning white.

"Have you guys seen my sister today?" Jean interrupted, standing abruptly. The girls shook their heads and Jean ran down the hall.

"Ms. Grey!" Logan called, bringing her to a screeching halt.

"Is she hurt?" Jean asked, gripping his hand unconsciously.

"No. Professor Xavier wants to talk to you." He awkwardly patted her shoulder as he steered her towards the office.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New Orleans. Remy vaguely remembered his life before things got…confusing. He remembered the way that Scott couldn't have been further from the image of the knight in shining armor. He remembered the smells, the sweat, the feeling that you've entered another land. The Big Easy. He loved it and hated it with a passion. And now, he had come full circle to the beginning.

--------------------------------------------Flashback--------------------------------------

"Get out of here, kid," Scott said, prodding Remy's shoulder. He really didn't have the time to clear the area, but he hated to think of what Jack and Brad and the rest of them would do if they caught him after dark.

Remy could barely open his eyes. They were swollen. He hadn't eaten all day and it was hard to focus. "'Kay," he mumbled, before turning over to go back to sleep.

Scott was mildly surprised at the damage to the kid's face. Sadly, it no longer shocked him, this brutality. And then he heard the heavy footfalls. He flung the boy over his shoulder and headed for the swamp.

Remy groaned as he was bounced around. He had no idea what the kid was going to do with him. His vivid imagination had him squirming in Scott's arms, desperately trying to get out of his grasp.

"Stop it!" Scott hissed, slowing. A misstep in the swamp could mean life or death. He put Remy down and dragged him along. "Ever run into Jack Diamond's gang?"

Remy nodded slowly, his hand going to his face.

"Well, if you don't want to meet them again, get you ass moving!"

Remy moved. Suddenly this raggedly kid, standing a scant two inches taller than him, looked more and more like the knight in the aforementioned armor. Even with the torn shirt and flapping sneakers.

Scott looked at the runt of a kid he dragged with him. Arms were gangly and thin, hair was hanging in his face. He must have been nuts to drag him along. This was going to give him a bad reputation, saver of street rats.

Remy clung to his hand. They had climbed a tree and watched the gang create a mess in the swamp below them. Remy didn't think that he took a breath the entire time they were up that tree.

"Come on, Rem. Tante Mattie is gonna kill me for being so late…" Remy shuffled closer to Scott, suddenly terrified of the woman who filled the doorframe, hands on her hips, looking ready to take on the world.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ororo threw her bag down in the hall, heading towards the kitchen. She was starving and whatever Remy had thrown together smelled delicious. What she didn't expect was the large woman stirring the pot of gumbo.

"Y' must be Marie? Or Ororo?"

"Tante?" Ororo ran to the woman who had been like a second mother to her despite the fact that they had never met. Mattie hugged her tightly before ushering her to sit. A big bowl of gumbo was placed in front of her.

"'Ro, chile, Remy said t' sit tight here, he'll be back. Eat!" Ororo dug into the food, finally taking the time to look around her. The house was still bare, but she could see the potential. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So you see, we're very concerned. This isn't the first time your sister has taken off and after the attack on the school…Well, we want to make sure that no harm comes to our students. Anything you can tell us could potentially save Marie," Professor Xavier said, flanked by both Ms. Braddock and Logan.

"I don't know where she went. She wiped out our entire savings. I don't see how I can help. If she's blocking you, Professor, then I don't have a chance," Jean said, concentrating on keeping her shields up.

"We fear that she is just out of range. Did she say anything about the last time she disappeared?" The professor's exchanged a look as Jean shook her head.

"I was too upset to ask her any questions. I just can't help you, I'm sorry."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marie felt completely lost. In both directions all she could see was a dirt road and a couple of stumpy buildings. They'd dropped her off in the middle of nowhere.

"'Bout time y' show up, River Rat," Remy said, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. He grinned as Marie jumped in surprise.

"You don't seem hurt. What the hell did I come all this way for?" she tossed her bag to him to carry.

"T' save me from a fate worse t'an death. Boredom." He led her to his motorcycle and tied her bag to the back. "Ready?"

"You expect me to trust you with that thing?" Marie said, walking around the bike and scrutinizing it carefully.

"Scared?"

"No." She climbed on as if the thing was going to explode. Remy shot out of the parking lot with Marie squeezing his ribs so tightly he was sure he was going to have bruises. She was cursing up a storm as she closed her eyes.

"It's a damn good t'ing I haven' kissed y' yet. Next t' t'is little ride, a kiss from me will send y' int' a swoon."

It did what Remy intended. Marie was no longer cutting off his circulation. She was sending him a glare hot enough to battle the Louisiana sun.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scott's eyes began to cross. The child wouldn't just keep her butt in the seat.

"Where are we going, Scotty?" Kitty asked for the twelfth time. She was swinging her legs and pressing all of the buttons on the seat.

He wanted to scream. Instead, Scott said very calmly, "First we're going to Georgia to see a doctor I know, then we're going to see Remy."

"Can we go see Remy first?"

"No." That wouldn't work. He had to get the damn tracer disabled before he went to New Orleans.

"Can I have another ice cream?"

"No."

"Scotty?"

"Hmm?"

"Are we there yet?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Stormy, mon petite!" He pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek. Marie stumbled into the room, obviously a little shaken from the ride still. "'ave y' met Marie?"

"Hi," Ororo said coolly. She still had to figure out if the girl was good enough for her best friend.

"Hi," Marie said, equally guarded. She slipped an arm around Remy's waist protectively. He rolled his eyes at the girls.

"Did Tante feed y'?" he asked Ororo, sliding fluidly into the kitchen, following the trail of heavenly scent.

"Yup. She had to start another pot."

"C'mon Marie. Y' 'aven't lived until y' taste Tante's gumbo." There was no need to tell her twice. Marie flew into the kitchen behind him.

"I was gonna wait 'til Scotty got here, but he's gonna be delayed. Jus' wanted t' let y' know t'ere's no pressure t' stay. Jus' wanted y' t' know t'at t'ere's a lot of work t' do here." Remy looked over the girls, making sure they were paying attention. "T'is house is our little refuge. Paid it off last month. We're hopin' it will let us get away from…everyone for a while. We talked it over, and wanted t' invite y' guys t' stay."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: Jean reddHott.xavier.edu

Fr: Marie unTouchable1.xavier.edu 

Left a ticket for you at JFK. Be there by noon tomorrow. Hugs and kisses.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Okay, so now what? Umm…as soon as I figure it out, you'll know. Until then, please review, give me some plot ideas, and I need a good adult figure to pull into this.


End file.
